Canoe carrier

ABSTRACT

Apparatus to be worn by an individual for carrying a canoe in an inverted position and simultaneously to be used for carrying a pack. The apparatus comprises a pack carrier adapted to be strapped to the back of the individual, and includes arms pivotally connected to the lower portion of the pack carrier and having attachment means at the distal ends of the arms for attachment to a transverse strut of the canoe. The pack carrier has second attachment means for pivotally supporting a second strut of the canoe.

United States Patent [191 Jackson 1 May 22, 1973 CANOE CARRIER [76]Inventor: William S. Jackson, 308 Packard Road Apt. No. 1, Ann Arbor,Mich. 48104 [22] Filed: Jan. 25, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 220,584

' [52] US. Cl. ..224/25A [51] Int. Cl. .f. ..A45f 3/15 [58] Field ofSearch ..224/25 A, 25 R, 8 R, 224/8 A, 5 BC, 5 P, 5 R, 5 A, 5 B, 42.45R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,375,960 Stevens et a]..224/42.ll

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 659,364 1951 Great Britain 224/25 APrimary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Jer0ld M.Forsberg Attorney-Olson and Stephenson [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus to beworn by an individual for carrying a canoe in an inverted position andsimultaneously to be used for carrying a pack. The apparatus comprises apack carrier adapted to be strapped to the back of the individual, andincludes arms pivotally connected to the lower portion of the packcarrier and having attachment means at the distal ends of the arms forattachment to a transverse strut of the canoe. The pack carrier hassecond attachment means for pivotally supporting a second strut of thecanoe.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures CANOE CARRIER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to equipment adapted for recreational andcamping purposes, and especially to a carrier to be worn by anindividual for carrying a camping pack and a canoe.

When traveling by canoe it frequently is necessary to transport thecanoe overland. Numerous problems arise when an individual seeks totransport a canoe by himself, and especially when he must also carry acamping pack. These problems relate to the initial positioning andlifting of the canoe to a carrying position, to the carrying of thecanoe, and subsequently to the unloading of the canoe. Since theindividual may be traveling alone it is essential for satisfactory usethat the carrier be constructed and arranged so that these operationscan be performed with maximum ease and safety. The prior art devices inuse heretofore leave much to be desired in these respects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a carrier adapted to beworn by an individual which has eliminated many of the problems thatexist when using prior art devices.

According to a preferred form of the present invention, a combinationcanoe and pack carrier is provided which is adapted to be worn on theback of an individual for carrying a canoe and a camping pack. Thecarrier comprises a frame having vertical upright members and transversemembers connected to the upright members. Straps are connected to theframe for securing the frame against the back of the wearer, said framebeing adapted when secured to the back of the wearer to support acamping pack. A pair of support arms are pivotally connected to lowerportions of the frame and are arranged to extend forward and upward inparallel relationship on opposite sides of the wearer. The arms havefirst attachment means at their distal ends for attachment to atransverse strut of a canoe, and said frame has second attachment meansat its upper end for attachment to a second transverse strut of thecanoe. Strap means connect the distal ends of the arms to the upper endof the frame. 7

The second attachment means are open channe1- shaped members which maybe either U-shaped or Y- shaped to facilitate pivotally supporting ofone of the transverse struts of the canoe when the canoe is in aninverted position. When supported in this manner, the canoe can bepivoted to a horizontal position in which the first transverse strut ofthe canoe will be seated in a U-shaped member at the distal end of eachof the arms and in which the first strut may be cradled. Straps are thenprovided at said first attachment means for securing the first strut inthe cradled position. The arms and the strap means are adjustable inlength so that the combination canoe and pack carrier can readily beadjusted to fit the spacing between transverse strut members of any of avariety of canoes having different dimensions.

By virtue of the construction and arrangement of the combination canoeand pack carrier the canoe can easily be positioned in place fortransportation by an individual, and when the individual is walking withthe canoe in this position it will be balanced over his shoulders so asto enable him to carry the canoe with a minimum of effort and withmaximum comfort. The straps connected to the frame for securing theframe to the back of the wearer can fit over the shoulders of the wearerso that he can quickly disengage himself from the frame in the event heencounters any difficulty while carrying the canoe. The canoe can alsobe removed easily from the frame merely by disconnecting the firstattachment means from the first strut and allowing the canoe to pivot sothat the one end of the canoe engages the ground while the canoe ispivotally supported in the second attachment means. The individual canthen lift the canoe from the second attachment means and lower it to theground with a minimum of difficulty. This arrangement also enables theindividual to carry a camping pack on his shoulders in the manner thatis conventional with pack carriers.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved canoe and pack carrier.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following descriptionand appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification wherein like reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts in the several views.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational view inperspective showing a combination canoe and pack carrier in position ona wearer and showing a canoe supported on the carrier;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the second attachment means ofthe carrier;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a lower portion of the frameof the carrier;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the first attachment means ofthe carrier; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to that of FIG. 1, showing amodified form of the combination canoe and pack carrier.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Before explaining the presentinvention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited in its application to the details of construction andarrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since theinvention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced orcarried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that thephraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose ofdescription and not of limitation.

Referring now to the drawing, the invention will be described in greaterdetail. A combination canoe and pack carrier 10 is shown in FIG. 1 inthe position that it normally is worn by an individual, and a canoe 12is mounted in an inverted position on the carrier 10. Normally, acamping pack can be strapped to the frame 14 of the carrier 10 in themanner that is conventional, but the pack has been omitted from thedrawings to better illustrate the invention. However, it is notnecessary that a pack be carried when carrying the canoe. The

canoe 12 is of a standard construction having a transverse strut l6 anda second transverse strut 18.

The frame comprises a pair of vertical upright members 22 and 24, and aplurality of transverse members 26 and 28. Other transverse members maybe employed. In the illustrated embodiment the transverse member 26 is arigid bar, and the transverse member 28 is a flexible fabric material.In the conventional manner, the frame 14 includes a pair of shoulderstraps 30, only one of which is shown, for securing the frame againstthe back of the wearer. A pair of support arms 32 and 34 are pivotallyconnected, as at 36 to lower portions 38 of the frame 14 and arearranged to extend forward and upward in parallel relationship onopposite sides of the wearer. The arms 34 and 36 have first attachmentmeans 40 at their distal ends for attachment to the first transversestrut 16 of the canoe 12. As shown in FIG. 4, the first attachment means40 includes an elastic strap or other suitable strap or band 42 which issecured to the distal end of the arm 32 at 44 and is releasably attachedto the hook 46. By virtue of this arrangement the individual wearing thecombination canoe and pack carrier can easily secure the strut 16 in acradled position in the U-shaped member 48 at the distal end of the arm32.

Second attachment means 50 are secured to the upper end of the frame 14for attachment to the second transverse strut 18. The second attachmentmeans is constructed and arranged so that the second strut 18 can bepivotally supported within the U-shaped brackets or channel members 52that are open at the top to facilitate positioning the transverse strut18 within the channel members 52.

The attachment means 50 can be secured to upright members 20 in anysuitable manner, such as by the wing nuts 54 as is illustrated in FIG.2. Also, it is desirable to have a strap means 56 connecting the distalends of the arms 32 and 34 and the upper end of the frame 14 so that thearms will be held in an operative position for receiving the firsttransverse strut 16 during the mounting of the canoe to the positionshown in FIG. 1. This strap means 56 may be made adjustable in length tofacilitate the use of the combination canoe and pack carrier with any ofa selected number of canoes having different spacing between their firstand second strut members 16 and 18. Also, to facilitate adjustment, thearms 32 and 34 can be adjustable in length. Any conventional means maybe used for this purpose. As shown in FIG. 1, the arms 32 and 34 can bemade in two telescoping sections with springactuated retainer pins 58adapted to be inserted into any of a series of holes 60. Likewise, foradjustment purposes the strap means 56 can have a series of holes foruse in securing the strap means to the distal ends of the arms 32 and34. Other suitable adjustment arrangements may be used, if desired.

The invention is not limited to the specific forms of the attachmentmeans shown in FIGS. 1-4, inclusive, but other means may also be used.For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a second attachment means 62 may beemployed which is Y-shaped in configuration, and it can also be securedto the upper ends of the frame 14. The embodiment of the invention shownin FIG. allows the canoe to be carried in a position that is more nearlycentered over the back of the wearer so as to ease the burden ofcarrying the canoe 12.

It is claimed:

1. A combination canoe and pack carrier adapted to be worn on the backof an individual for carrying a canoe and pack comprising a frame havingvertical upright members and transverse members connected to saidupright members, straps connected to said frame for securing the frameagainst the back of the wearer, said frame being adapted when secured tothe wearer to support a pack, a pair of support arms pivotally connectedto lower portions of said frame and arranged to extend forward andupward in parallel relationship on opposite sides of the wearer, saidarms having first attachment means at their distal ends for attachmentto a first transverse strut of a canoe, said frame having secondattachment means at its upper end for attachment to a second transversestrut of a canoe, and strap means connecting the distal ends of saidarms to the upper end of said frame.

2. The combination canoe and pack carrier that is defined in claim 1,wherein said second attachment means comprises U-shaped brackets securedto the upper ends of said vertical upright members.

3. The combination canoe and pack carrier that is defined in claim 1,wherein said second attachment means comprises Y-shaped brackets securedto the upper ends of said vertical upright members.

4. The combination canoe and pack carrier that is de fined in claim 1,wherein said first attachment means comprises U-shaped members on thedistal ends of said arms in which said first strut may be cradled, andstraps for securing the first strut in the cradled position.

5. The combination canoe and pack carrier that is defined in claim 1,wherein said arms are adjustable in length to enable the wearer toselect the length of the arms most suitable for carrying a canoe.

6. The combination canoe and pack carrier that is defined in claim 5,wherein said strap means are adjustable in length.

7. Apparatus to be worn by an individual for carrying a canoe in aninverted position comprising a frame, straps connected to the frame forsecuring the frame in a vertical position against the back of thewearer, a pair of support arms pivotally connected to lower portions ofsaid frame at opposite sides thereof and arranged to extend forward andupward on opposite sides of the wearer, first attachment means at thedistal ends of said arms for attachment to a first transverse strut ofthe inverted canoe, second attachment means at the upper end of saidframe for attachment to a second transverse strut of said invertedcanoe, and connecting means extending between the distal ends of saidarms and the upper end of said frame.

8. Apparatus that is defined in claim 7, wherein said second attachmentmeans comprises channel members open at the top in which said secondtransverse strut can be pivotally supported.

9. Apparatus that is defined in claim 8, wherein said first attachmentmeans comprises strap means for clasping said first transverse strut.

10. Apparatus that is defined in claim 9, wherein said arms and saidconnecting means are adjustable in length.

1. A combination canoe and pack carrier adapted to be worn on the backof an individual for carrying a canoe and pack comprising a frame havingvertical upright members and transverse members connected to saidupright members, straps connected to said frame for securing the frameagainst the back of the wearer, said frame being adapted when secured tothe wearer to support a pack, a pair of support arms pivotally connectedto lower portions of said frame and arranged to extend forward andupward in parallel relationship on opposite sides of the wearer, saidarms having first attachment means at their distal ends for attachmentto a first transverse strut of a canoe, said frame having secondattachment means at its upper end for attachment to a second transversestrut of a canoe, and strap means connecting the distal ends of saidarms to the upper end of said frame.
 2. The combination canoe and packcarrier that is defined in claim 1, wherein said second attachment meanscomprises U-shaped brackets secured to the upper ends of said verticalupright members.
 3. The combination canoe and pack carrier that isdefined in claim 1, wherein said second attachment means comprisesY-shaped brackets secured to the upper ends of said vertical uprightmembers.
 4. The combination canoe and pack carrier that is defined inclaim 1, wherein said first attachment means comprises U-shaped memberson the distal ends of said arms in whIch said first strut may becradled, and straps for securing the first strut in the cradledposition.
 5. The combination canoe and pack carrier that is defined inclaim 1, wherein said arms are adjustable in length to enable the wearerto select the length of the arms most suitable for carrying a canoe. 6.The combination canoe and pack carrier that is defined in claim 5,wherein said strap means are adjustable in length.
 7. Apparatus to beworn by an individual for carrying a canoe in an inverted positioncomprising a frame, straps connected to the frame for securing the framein a vertical position against the back of the wearer, a pair of supportarms pivotally connected to lower portions of said frame at oppositesides thereof and arranged to extend forward and upward on oppositesides of the wearer, first attachment means at the distal ends of saidarms for attachment to a first transverse strut of the inverted canoe,second attachment means at the upper end of said frame for attachment toa second transverse strut of said inverted canoe, and connecting meansextending between the distal ends of said arms and the upper end of saidframe.
 8. Apparatus that is defined in claim 7, wherein said secondattachment means comprises channel members open at the top in which saidsecond transverse strut can be pivotally supported.
 9. Apparatus that isdefined in claim 8, wherein said first attachment means comprises strapmeans for clasping said first transverse strut.
 10. Apparatus that isdefined in claim 9, wherein said arms and said connecting means areadjustable in length.